This invention relates to aircraft deicing equipment and more particularly to a new and improved pneumatic deicer for attachment to the wings or airfoil of an aircraft to retard and remove the accumulation of ice therefrom.
Deicing equipment for the fixed wings and airfoils of aircraft include pneumatic inflatable tubes equipped with an air supply system for alternately inflating and deflating the tubes to break away the formation of ice thereon. The continual flexing action shatters the ice layers which is blown away by the airstream as it flows across the airfoil. In order to preserve and maintain a smooth airfoil surface, deicing has turned more and more to electrical heating systems for deicing purposes. The present system of a pneumatic deicer employs a unique combination of composite layers which are designed to provide at least a pair of passageways along the leading edge of an airfoil and chordwise passageways above and below such spanwise passageways to provide an advantageous low aerodynamic drag while effectively removing ice formation from an airfoil system at relatively low cost, low weight and at low operating power while being able to maintain a thin profile in the deflated condition.